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Designed for the Creative Mind: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Michelle Lynne
Your designs are beautiful, but you're struggling with the business of your interior design business. Join successful interior design business owner, Michelle Lynne, of ML Interiors Group each Monday morning as she shares the processes she has found useful in growing her own 7-figure design firm, interviews industry related guests, and brings her own team of designers on for lively conversations. If you aren't happy with the performance of your interior design business, are tired of trading your time for money, and know you were made for more, this show is for you.
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- 1 weeks ago36 min
Ep 248: The Walkthrough: Your Sales Process Starts at the Front Door
An inquiry comes in. You're in the middle of an installation, juggling procurement, answering client questions, and managing a dozen other things. You tell yourself you'll respond when you have a minute to give that potential client the attention they deserve. And suddenly, a day or two has passed. Sound familiar? In this episode of Designed for the Creative Mind, Michelle Lynne continues The Walkthrough, a series that takes interior designers through their businesses just as they would walk through a client's home. This time, she's looking at what happens after a potential client knocks on your door. Michelle shares why getting from inquiry to first appointment seems to be taking longer in today's market, why a slow response can cost you a client, and how a thoughtful sales process can help you turn more inquiries into actual projects. Because here's the thing: your clients shouldn't have to figure out how to hire you. It's your job to lead them through the process. Michelle walks through the importance of responding promptly, assigning clear ownership of incoming inquiries, following up consistently, and using a CRM and email automation to keep potential clients engaged. She also explains how email marketing can nurture relationships with people who aren't quite ready to hire you yet. Whether you're a solo designer wearing every hat or leading a growing team, this episode will help you identify where potential clients might be slipping through the cracks—and how to create a process that works even when you're busy. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why potential clients may need more reassurance and connection before booking their first appointment. How a slow response to an inquiry can influence a client's perception of your firm. Why a prompt, thoughtful reply is better than waiting for the perfect response. How assigning clear ownership of inquiries prevents potential clients from falling through the cracks. Why having someone screen inquiries can protect your time and help you avoid taking on projects that aren't the right fit. How to follow up without feeling pushy or salesy. Why a CRM is essential for tracking conversations and managing your sales pipeline. How email automation can help you stay connected with prospects when they're not ready to hire you. Why a consistent sales process is a service to both your clients and your business. Key Takeaway Follow-up is a service. When someone reaches out to your firm, they're expressing interest in working with you. It's your job to make the next step clear, easy, and welcoming. A well-designed sales process doesn't pressure clients into making decisions. It helps them feel supported while ensuring that good opportunities don't disappear simply because you're busy. Ready to Walk Through Your Business? Are potential clients getting lost between their first inquiry and their first appointment? Or are you spending too much time trying to keep your sales process organized? Michelle offers Sidemark Business Walkthroughs to help interior design firm owners identify gaps in their sales, marketing, operations, and processes. Together, you'll look at what's working, where things are getting stuck, and where you could use additional support. Schedule your Sidemark Business Walkthrough using this link: https://api.mysidemark.com/widget/bookings/sidemark-business-walkthrough Coming Up Next In the next episode of The Walkthrough, Michelle takes a closer look at the interior design sales process, including the qualifying call, meet and greet, initial visit, scope of work presentation, and contract signature. Enjoying Designed for the Creative Mind? Follow or subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss the next episode.
- 2 weeks ago32 min
Ep 247: The Walkthrough: Is Your Marketing Front Door Open?
Your interior design business might be doing beautiful work, but are the right clients finding their way to you? In this episode of Designed for the Creative Mind, Michelle Lynne kicks off The Walkthrough, a series that takes you through every room of your interior design business, from marketing and sales to operations, procurement, installation, and project closeout. First up is the front door: marketing. Michelle shares why referrals alone aren't a marketing strategy, how the busy-season blackout can leave your pipeline empty, and why consistent marketing doesn't have to mean posting every single day. She also explores how to make your marketing sound like you, why handing marketing off isn't always as simple as hiring someone, and how marketing connects to every other part of your business. If you've ever let marketing slide because client projects took over, only to find yourself scrambling for new leads a few months later, this episode is for you. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why referrals aren't the whole story. Clients often discover you through a referral but research your website, portfolio, and social media before deciding to reach out. How to break the busy-season blackout cycle. Marketing takes time to produce results, so stopping when you're busy can create a pipeline problem months later. What consistent marketing really looks like. A current website, a monthly blog, regular email communication, and a manageable social media presence can go a long way. Why your marketing needs to sound like you. Clients are hiring your perspective, expertise, and approach to design—not just your portfolio photos. How to delegate marketing without losing your voice. A good content partner needs to learn how you think and communicate, not just follow a list of instructions. Who should own marketing in your firm. If marketing is everyone's secondary responsibility, it can quickly become nobody's responsibility. How marketing connects to the rest of your business. Your marketing efforts influence sales, capacity planning, client experience, reviews, and referrals. Your Action Steps Before you overhaul your marketing, take a closer look at what's already working. Review your last 10 signed clients and trace how each one actually found you. Ask past clients what led them to your business and which channels they explored before reaching out. Look at your website and social media through the eyes of a potential client. Does your content feel current, relevant, and reflective of your firm? Identify who owns marketing in your business—and who is accountable for keeping it consistent. Choose a manageable marketing rhythm you can maintain even when your project calendar is full. Remember: Marketing isn't something you do when you have time. It's an essential part of running your business. Ready to Walk Through Your Own Business? Wondering where your business is working well and where things might be held together by you? Schedule a free Business Walkthrough with Michelle and the Sidemark team. Together, you'll look at how clients find you, what happens when they inquire, and where your systems may need attention. Depending on your needs, the walkthrough can extend into sales, operations, design development, sourcing, procurement, installation, and project closeout. You'll leave with a clearer picture of your business and actionable next steps. Schedule your Business Walkthrough: https://api.mysidemark.com/widget/bookings/sidemark-business-walkthrough Coming Up Next In the next episode of The Walkthrough, Michelle heads into the sales room. A potential client has found your firm and filled out your contact form—but what happens next? Follow t
- Oct 5, 202642 min
Ep 246: Nobody Warned Me About This Part: Hiring Would Expose My Own Weaknesses
Hiring people is supposed to create capacity. But what happens when bringing someone onto your team actually makes your business feel more complicated? In this episode, Michelle Lynne gets honest about one of the parts of business ownership nobody warned her about: hiring people would force her to confront how much of her business was living inside her own head. When you've built a business around your own instincts, experience, and standards, it's easy to assume that what feels obvious to you will be obvious to everyone else. But your team can't read your mind—and they shouldn't have to. Michelle shares the lessons she learned as her design firm grew, including why hiring initially created more work instead of less, how recurring team problems can reveal weaknesses in the business itself, and why delegation requires more than simply handing someone a list of responsibilities. She also explores the uncomfortable reality that sometimes the problem really is the employee—but you can't fairly determine that until you've looked at the role, the process, your leadership, and the support you've provided. In this episode, Michelle talks about: Why hiring often begins with addition before it creates subtraction How a team exposes the parts of your business that have been running on your memory, instinct, and unwritten standards The difference between describing a task and actually defining what "good" looks like Why "be more proactive," "use your judgment," and "take care of the client" aren't actually clear standards The principle: "Every project is different, but the process should be the same." How undocumented processes turn the owner into the answer to every routine question Why capable owners can accidentally create dependent employees by solving problems too quickly The difference between giving someone responsibility and giving them the authority to actually own it Why offering your perspective is different from taking the work back How delayed feedback can turn a simple conversation into a much bigger problem Why caring about your team can sometimes become an excuse for avoiding difficult conversations How to determine whether you're dealing with a people problem, a role problem, or a leadership/process problem When you have to accept that someone simply isn't the right fit for the role Why examining your own leadership doesn't mean taking responsibility for every failed hire What Michelle does differently today as she leads her design firm A question to ask yourself If you're frustrated with someone on your team right now, don't start with: "Is she a good employee or a bad employee?" Instead, look at the role. Ask yourself: What has actually been made clear? What authority does she have? What feedback has she received? What support has been provided? Does the process actually support the work? Have I communicated what needs to be communicated? Have I given her enough room to make decisions? If you've done those things and the same problem continues, you may finally have the information you need to address the person or the fit with confidence. Because sometimes the answer is better direction.
- Sep 28, 202634 min
Ep 245: Nobody Warned Me About This Part: When Growing Your Design Firm Changes Your Job
You started your interior design business because you love design. You wanted to create beautiful spaces, work with clients, and build something of your own. But somewhere along the way, the business grew… and your job changed. Suddenly, you're spending less time designing and more time managing people, making financial decisions, building processes, and carrying the responsibility for everything happening inside your firm. And nobody really warned you that this was part of the deal. In this first episode of my new series, Nobody Warned Me About This Part, I'm getting honest about what happens when the business you built around your talent starts requiring something entirely different from you. I'll share my own evolution from doing everything myself at by Michelle Lynn to leading ML Interiors Group, why stepping away from design was both liberating and surprisingly emotional, and what it really means to transition from being the designer to being the business owner. Because here's the thing: Growth isn't just more clients, bigger projects, or a larger team. It's a transfer of responsibility. And the work doesn't disappear just because someone else is doing the designing. We'll talk about: Why the role of the owner changes as an interior design firm grows. The emotional challenge of stepping away from the creative work that built your reputation. Why leadership, pricing, processes, and capacity planning are not overhead. They're the work. The uncomfortable middle stage where you have a team but still feel responsible for every decision. How staying involved in every detail can unintentionally turn you into the bottleneck. The difference between having high standards and communicating those standards effectively. Why hiring more people doesn't automatically create freedom. How to determine whether you actually want to lead a larger firm or prefer a business that keeps you closer to the design work. The questions every interior design business owner should ask before pursuing the next level of growth. The question to consider: If your business doubled over the next two years, how would your daily job change? And would you actually want the life that comes with it? Because there is no one-size-fits-all definition of success. You get to decide what kind of business you want to build. Ready for Support? If you're navigating the transition from designer to business owner and need help figuring out your role, your team, or what comes next for your firm, private coaching with Michelle Lynne can help you get clarity and create a business that supports the life you actually want. Explore Private Coaching with Michelle Lynne at https://thedesignbakehouse.com/private-coaching. Connect with Michelle Follow Michelle Lynne here at the Designed for the Creative Mind podcast for more honest conversations about the business behind the beautiful designs. This is the part nobody warned us about. And it's worth talking about.
- Sep 21, 202629 min
Ep 244:Do You Actually Want to Own an Interior Design Business?
Being an interior designer and being an interior design business owner are two very different jobs. Have you actually decided which one you want? We talk a lot about the dream of owning an interior design firm: creative freedom, choosing your clients, setting your own schedule, and building something that is completely yours. And those things can absolutely be part of business ownership. But there's another side of the equation that doesn't always make it into the Instagram caption. Because when you own the business, you're not just the designer. You're also the salesperson, financial manager, problem solver, technology department, decision-maker, and the person who ultimately has to deal with whatever goes sideways. In this episode, Michelle Lynne gets very honest about what it actually means to own an interior design business—and asks a question that more designers should be asking: Do you actually want to own a business, or do you want to be an interior designer? Neither answer is wrong. Working for an established design firm can offer the opportunity to focus on the creative work without carrying the full weight of sales, finances, operations, and business risk. And for some designers, that may genuinely be the career they want. For others, the autonomy and opportunity that comes with ownership are worth the responsibility and uncertainty. The important thing is knowing which one you're actually choosing—and making that decision based on the life and work you want, rather than what sounds more ambitious or impressive. In this episode, Michelle talks about: The difference between being an interior designer and being an interior design business owner Why design is only one part of the job when you own the firm The reality of being responsible for sales, finances, technology, and problem-solving Why impressive revenue numbers don't necessarily mean a business is profitable The personal development that comes with putting yourself—and your work—out there Rejection, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and vulnerability as a business owner The financial risk and uncertainty that come with starting a firm Why working for another design firm is not a fallback or a failure What you can learn by working inside an established design business How to think about ownership versus employment based on the actual life you want Why you're allowed to change your mind about the path you've chosen The question to sit with: What do you want your actual days to look like? If you want to spend most of your time sourcing, designing, presenting, and installing, working inside an established firm may be exactly what you're looking for. If you want to build something that's yours, make the decisions, take the risk, and reap the rewards—and you're willing to engage with the unglamorous parts of running a business—ownership may be the path for you. There's no prize for choosing the harder option. There's no shame in changing your mind. And there's certainly no reason to build a business simply because everyone around you says that's what successful designers are supposed to do. Choose the career that actually fits the life you want to live. Want to work with Michelle? If you're wrestling with whether to start, grow, change, or rethink your interior design business, private coaching gives you the opportunity to look at your specific situation—including your goals, numbers, circumstances, and what you actually want your work and life to look like. Learn more about private coaching with Michelle Lynne by visiting https://thedesignbakehouse.com/private-coaching Share this episode Know an interior designer who's trying to figure out whether
- Sep 14, 202652 min
Ep 243: The Art of Being Principal: Building a Business That Doesn't Need You Every Minute with Katie Decker-Erickson
What if the real measure of a successful design firm isn't how much the principal can personally accomplish—but how well the business operates when they're not there? In this episode of The Art of Being Principal, Michelle Lynne and Katie Decker-Erickson have one of their trademark conversations: part business strategy, part leadership lesson, and part "how did we get on this subject?" They dive into why strong operations are so important for design firms, especially as a business grows beyond the principal doing everything herself. From documenting processes and empowering your team to conducting project postmortems and creating space to step away, they explore what it actually takes to build a firm that can function without you. And yes, they talk about Fiji. Michelle shares her "Fiji Factor"—the idea that if she and her lead designer could disappear to Fiji tomorrow, the business should still be able to operate. Katie adds her own twist: processes should be consistent, but not so rigid that there's no room for the unique needs of a luxury client or the lessons you learn along the way. The conversation also gets into one of the biggest leadership shifts a principal can make: stopping yourself from being the person who solves every problem. Because when your team has responsibility and the authority to make decisions, something important happens. You get your time back. Your team gets stronger. And the business becomes less dependent on you. In this episode, Michelle and Katie talk about: Why documented processes are essential—even for small and solo design firms The "Fiji Factor" and why your business should be able to function without you Why 90% of your process should stay consistent while leaving room for the other 10% Charging appropriately for high-maintenance or high-touch clients How to stop being the person who has to know and solve everything The difference between responsibility and authority when managing a team Why hiring for "care" and character can matter more than hiring for every skill on the job description How to trust your team while still having checks and balances Why project postmortems should capture what went RIGHT—not just what went wrong How to recognize when an old process no longer serves your clients or your firm The importance of auditing your processes, subscriptions, tools, and systems Why the right tools can save you from working harder just to get the same result How creating white space in your business gives you room to think, create, and breathe Why principals need to take real time away from the business The connection between good operations, sustainability, and actually enjoying your business again One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation is simple: Operations may not sound sexy, but they're what give you the freedom to build the business—and the life—you actually want. Whether you want to grow a seven-figure firm, take six clients a year, spend more time designing, or simply be able to take a vacation without your phone exploding, the goal is the same: build a business that doesn't require you to hold every piece in your head. And sometimes, the best leadership move you can make is to step back and let your people figure it out. Because you don't have to know everything. You don't have to solve everything. And your business shouldn't need you to do everything. Connect with Us You can learn more about Michelle by visiting https://thedesignbakehouse.com/ or following her on IG: <a href= "https://www.inst
- Sep 7, 202616 min
Ep 242: Tended, Pt 4 - When Everyone Else Looks Like They Have It Together
Have you ever looked around at other interior designers and thought, What do they know that I don't? They're booked out. Their projects look incredible. Their social media is polished. They seem confident, successful, and completely on top of their business. Meanwhile, you're staring at a quiet pipeline, difficult clients, late shipments, team issues, or a slow month and wondering if you're doing something terribly wrong. In this final episode of Tended, Michelle Lynne gets unusually honest about a season when her own business looked successful from the outside—but felt anything but successful on the inside. After unexpectedly losing two key team members in 2023, navigating the launch of Studio Works and Sidemark, and then experiencing a prolonged slowdown in leads through 2024 and 2025, Michelle found herself questioning everything—including whether she should walk away from her design firm altogether. And yet, if you had followed ML Interiors Group on social media during that time, you probably would have had no idea. The projects were still being photographed. The posts were still going out. The business was still moving. That's the point. You are comparing your behind-the-scenes to someone else's highlight reel. And that comparison can lead you to make decisions based on information you don't actually have. In this episode, Michelle talks about: What it feels like to go through a genuinely difficult season while your business still looks successful from the outside Why social media gives you an incomplete picture of another designer's business The danger of assuming that a designer who is "swamped" is necessarily profitable or successful Why busyness and business success are not the same thing How industry events and conversations at market can fuel comparison Why year-end highlight reels can make a slow season feel even worse How Michelle pulled herself out of the comparison spiral by returning to her own numbers, pipeline, margins, clients, marketing, and team The difference between learning from another designer and reshaping your business because of what you see them doing Why slow seasons don't necessarily mean you're falling behind The reminder that you are not uniquely behind and probably aren't missing some magical secret everyone else has figured out The big takeaway The version of someone else's business that you can see is always edited. You don't know their margins. You don't know their client relationships. You don't know whether they're profitable. You don't know what is happening behind the beautiful project photos or the confident conversation at market. So before you change your positioning, blow up your brand, restructure your services, or decide that everyone else has figured something out that you haven't, come back to your own business. Look at your actual numbers. Your pipeline. Your margins. Your clients. Your marketing. Your team. Your goals. Your business needs a North Star—not a comparison. And perhaps most importantly, remember: You are not separate from your business. Tending to yourself isn't the soft work or the extra work. It's part of the work. Running an interior design firm is hard. You don't have to pretend otherwise. Ready for support? If this episode—and the entire Tended series—hit a little too close to home, private coaching may be the right next step. Michelle works with interior designers who want experienced guidance from someone who understands the realities of building and running a design firm. Learn more about Private Coaching at Design Bakehouse. Join Michelle at the Northeast Design Conference Michelle will be speaking at the Northeastern Design Confe
- Aug 31, 202626 min
Ep 241: Tended, Pt 3 - The Word No Has a ROI
Saying no doesn't come naturally to most people—and it certainly didn't come naturally to Michelle. In this episode of Tended, Michelle makes the business case for one of the hardest words for interior designers to say: no. Because every yes has a cost. Whether it's taking on a client you knew wasn't the right fit, quietly absorbing scope creep, accepting projects you've outgrown, or saying yes to every personal request outside of work, the easy yes often creates a much bigger problem down the road. Michelle breaks down why designers struggle to say no, what's really underneath those yeses, and how creating stronger structures and boundaries can protect your time, energy, and business. She also gets personal about the guilt that can come with saying no at home—and why honoring your capacity isn't selfish or neglectful. It can actually be one of the most intentional things you do for yourself, your family, and your business. In this episode, Michelle talks about: Why saying no is a skill, not a personality trait The hidden cost of taking on a client you knew wasn't the right fit How "small" yeses turn into scope creep and unpaid work Why scope creep is often a communication and structure problem—not a client problem What happens when your firm outgrows the kinds of projects you used to accept How scarcity fear can cause you to make today's decisions based on an old version of your business Why saying no creates space for better-fit clients and projects The connection between business boundaries and personal boundaries Why "no" doesn't require an apology or a lengthy explanation How to practice saying no in low-stakes situations before you need the skill in a high-stakes one Why the way you feel after a well-held no is valuable data The big takeaway The yes you give to avoid discomfort today may be creating a much bigger problem for yourself tomorrow. A well-held no creates space—for the right clients, the right projects, the right pace of growth, and a business you actually want to stay in for the long run. And remember: "No" is a complete sentence. Work with Michelle Visit our website at https://thedesignbakehouse.com/private-coaching to learn more about how you can work with Michelle 1-1.
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About Designed for the Creative Mind
Your designs are beautiful, but you're struggling with the business of your interior design business. Join successful interior design business owner, Michelle Lynne, of ML Interiors Group each Monday morning as she shares the processes she has found useful in growing her own 7-figure design firm, interviews industry related guests, and brings her own team of designers on for lively conversations. If you aren't happy with the performance of your interior design business, are tired of trading your time for money, and know you were made for more, this show is for you.
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